Rahma R. Mahdi is set to graduate in Fall 2021 as a Regent’s and Chancellor’s Scholar from the University of California, Berkeley, where she majors in Interdisciplinary Studies with minors in Public Policy and Education. As a student researcher, Rahma aims to better situate computer science within the realm of global education and policy, with a specialized emphasis on developing countries in the East African region. Her senior thesis proposes an equity-centered framework for computing education by cross-examining international standards on key areas; digital literacy, computational concepts, and applied pedagogy at the secondary school level. During her undergraduate career, she spent four months abroad in Nairobi, Kenya, where she interned with Kulan Consulting, working on consulting assignments including research, revisions, and staff meetings for the World Bank, UNICEF, and DAI. Locally, she has served as a City of Oakland commissioner for youth-related issues and an Oakland Library Boardmember; both positions spiked her passion and advocacy for educational equity for marginalized students. At the Othering and Belonging Institute, Rahma will be working under Stephen Menendian on Othering and Belonging Background Research.
